The most commonly known and used types of fasteners for clothing and fabric materials are probably the button, snaps and hook-and-eye closures. And, where some length of closure is required or desirable, the zipper is probably the next best known and most frequently used type of fastener and closure means or device.
As used for clothing, the single fastener devices, that is the button, snap and hook-and eye types, have the disadvantage of showing a gap or opening therebetween unless they are spaced reasonably close together. This is most commonly seen, and most apparent, in shirts and dresses when the person wearing such clothing turns or bends forward or when they are overweight or their clothing is undersized. The gap or opening is caused by either stress and tension, where the fabric between fasteners is pulled in opposite directions, or become of bunching or twisting of the fabric over upon itself and where the fastener means allows for no relative adjustment.
The zipper and the newer hook-and-loop type fabric fasterners are intended and used to avoid such problems but their added expense and other inconveniences preclude their use in many instances. For example, while the zipper eliminates gaps and opening from occuring throughout its length, it allows for no lateral adjustment. And the hook-and-loop fabric fastener, while made adjustable and adaptable to variations along its length, when made in sufficient width, is not readily laundrable because of its tendency to catch and snag other fabrics and to pickup and become clogged with lint.
While some attention has been given to magnetic catches and closures for other uses, there has been little use or attention given to such means for fabrics and clothing materials.
Generally speaking, this has probably been due to the ferrous composition of magnetic materials, which can and do rust and stain fabrics when they are wet or dampened for extended period of time as would occur in laundering. Also, there have been problems of maintaining magnetic strength with inexpensive materials, the weight and bulk of the closure for the desired strength, and their relative inflexibility in the same manner as with buttons or snaps.
Consequently, magnetic materials have only been used for buttoms and ornamental purposes and then only with hand lanundered or dry cleaned garments and fabrics.
The reremains a real need for some type of simple and relatively inexpensive fastener, for fabrics and clothing, which can and will close and hold together two pieces or sides of a garment or fabric material, can be had in any length, will hold securely, while still allowing for some adjustment, will not open or gap with normal and expected use, can be readily and easily opened and/or adjusted as and where needed, and which is sufficiently light in weight, pliable and flexible for use in and with clothing garments and other fabric materials, for summer, winter or wet weather uses, and that can be laundered without any special care, attention or concern.